IB students can choose which subjects they take. Their choices depend on their interests, post-secondary goals and on the subjects their schools offer.
Course structure in different programmes
Diploma Programme (ages 16–19)
The Diploma Programme (DP) consists of six DP subjects and the DP core. There are six DP subject groups. Students typically choose one subject per group.
Subjects are offered at standard level (SL) or higher level (HL). It is standard for students take three SL subjects and three HL subjects. Students who are not completing the full Diploma may be able to take a handful of DP subjects. Read more about the DP curriculum and subject options.
Career-related Programme (ages 16–19)
The Career-related Programme (CP) consists of a career-related study, at least two DP subjects and the CP core. Students can take their DP subjects at SL, HL or a mix of both. Read more about the CP curriculum.
Middle Years Programme (ages 11–16)
The MYP curriculum consists of eight subjects and two projects: service and personal. There are eight MYP subject groups. Read more about the MYP curriculum and subject options.
Guiding students to choose subjects
It is important to know which IB subject selections will help students achieve their higher education goals and career aspirations. University and career counsellors can help students make decisions based on:
- The types of university programmes students want to study
- The countries or universities where students want to study
These also can help determine which subjects students should take at SL or HL. Students and counsellors should review universities, degree programmes and countries of interest to note what IB subjects and levels they require.
Our comprehensive University and Career Counsellor (UCC) Guide gives university counsellors advice on helping their IB students choose subjects based on their goals.
Earning university credit for IB subjects
Many universities and colleges grant university credit or advanced standing for certain scores on IB exams. This is most common in the United States, where the IB commissioned the American Council on Education (ACE) to review the value of 20 course assessments in terms of awarding university credit.
ACE recommends awarding at least 3 credits for scores of 4 or higher on many SL subjects and the theory of knowledge course. The IB actively advocates for universities in the USA to adopt this recommendation.
Read more about ACE's recommendation. You can save our ACE flyer for schools to advocate for equitable credit policies with your local universities.
Our UCC Guide also contains advice on using or waiving earned university credit.
